“I’ll be working remotely. Contact me Monday.” He continued to rest his big hand on the small of my back. I tried not to preen. He still didn’t claim me as his wife.
“Fine.” Taya stabbed the elevator button and spun back to us. “Have you talked to the board?”
“I’ve told who needs to know. Have a good day, Taya.”
Cold fury blazed in her eyes at his response. When the elevator doors opened, she punched a few buttons, glaring at Gideon until the doors closed.
I let out a long breath. “She’s delightful. I bet you two have a hot and sweaty work relationship.” I couldn’t stop the sarcasm from pouring out and started for the kitchen.
“That part didn’t happen often.” He passed me and went for the fridge. “And it’s been a while.”
I snorted. “Sure. She has a key to your house to talk about emergency remodeling.”
“I’ll change the code.”
He offered the option so readily I tacked on more demands. “No one else.” I hugged my arms around me, suddenly unsure. I was willing to marry him to get what we both wanted, but I wasn’t willing to feel like a fool.
“What do you mean?” He shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans. He wasn’t in socks like me, but more casual loafers than what he’d worn last night. His question wasn’t casual. I didn’t think that was a thing with him. He made it sound calm, but there was always an edge.
“This marriage is monogamous. Full stop. People aren’t going to believe us as it is. I don’t need to field gossip about you fucking around.”
His pupils did that thing again. The way they widened like a predator’s was hot. Tingles rolled down my spine. “There will be no rumors. Just as you will also keep your hands and every other part of your body to yourself. For the next month, you’re mine. Until I get my dad to switch the land to my name or sell to me—you’re mine.”
The shivers notched up to ten. I was his. Wait—untilhe got the land? Then we were done?For the next month...I was sinking into a dream. I couldn’t afford to lose myself. I couldn’t fantasize about Gideon. This was his home. Taya was his type.
“The closing date is in a month,” I said more to confirm that was his timeline. It made sense. Why would he want to stay married longer?
Teller had complained to Tate that the delays with financing would leave them closing right before winter. They wouldn’t be able to do much until spring, when all the snow we’d get this winter would melt.
He nodded. “Which means we have less time to pretend we’re so in love we couldn’t help ourselves when we were so close to a Las Vegas chapel.”
My heart sank to my socks. I dropped my gaze. A month wasn’t long to test the ol’ fertility ability. If we were successful, I might be a single mom. Would he fight for custody? Not from the expression when I’d told my end of the bargain.
This is an act. This is an act. This is an act.
“Right,” I said, proud of how strong my voice sounded. “You don’t leave this marriage without land and I don’t leave without a baby. What if that takes more than a month?”
That sounded callous.
His lips thinned at the word baby. “We have a month.”
“Biology doesn’t always listen to our deals.”
“I have an important job,” he said with a clipped tone.
“So do I.”
“One month, Autumn.”
I was raised a Bailey. I should be comfortable negotiatingcontracts and deals, but that was what my brothers did. Daddy had familiarized me with everything, but I didn’t work at the distillery full-time. Gideon’s tone was stone. Unmoving.
He’d seen that pathetic part of my life last night. I didn’t care to beg him to get me pregnant. “Good thing I’ve been off birth control for a while.”
His pupils flared again. “We have a few more details to hammer out. I notified my lawyer this morning we’ll be in need of a postnuptial contract.”
“A postnup?” The ramifications of an impulsive marriage were sinking in. Would Gideon have claim to my share of the ranch and Copper Summit? What about the portion of land Daddy had gifted me? Would I lose that?
Oh god, what had I done?
